BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?

As the financial markets continued to crater, the crisis remained a hot topic of conversation at Propeller. "Citigroup Has Announced Its Plan to Rework Mortgages and Stop Foreclosures" bagged 118 props and 81 comments, including a pointed critique of Citigroup's lending policies from mark-stevens: "They gave my mom a $40,000 line of credit five years ago. She's 92." He was echoed by stalemate: "All the banks should have reorganized their mortgages long age. Then a bailout would not been necessary. Every time the government sticks its nose into businesses, we get screwed." There was some argumentation about who to ultimately finger for the subprime mortgage mess. As nostalgia saw it, though, there was no single culprit: "There is plenty of blame to go around, including the Feds and community groups who pushed banks to make these loans. Once the ball started rolling, avarice kicked in." A related story, "President-Elect Obama Proposes Moratorium on Foreclosures," clocked 101 props and 174 comments. "This is important," said engineer. "After all, the banks, which were the major cause of this problem, were bailed out." Replied alakazam: "Maybe, maybe not. Paulson won't tell exactly where the money is going." As for Obama's proposed freeze on foreclosures, jordan11 was all for it: "The loans will be rewritten without adjustable rates or balloon payments, and [the borrowers] will pay for their own houses... It will save thousands of people from losing their homes." Replied capecoralM: "These people do not own these homes. The people that own the loan own the asset." To which Eagle_Eye replied in turn: "The people jointly own the home with the lender, they have a vested interest in keeping the home and want to pay it off." Meanwhile, in another troubled sector of the economy, there was "Ford, GM and Chrysler Bailed Out?" The story racked up 94 props and 197 comments, among them a thumbs down from UnusualSuspect: "I say let's not bail out the Big 3, and see what happens. If they get worse, and they really do look like they're running on empty, then we can try pumping some money into their tanks and see if they run." There was a similar response from 4thchance: "The USA car industry is basically being ruled by big oil, so let big oil bail their asses out. I think that's the best idea yet." Added buckncindykill: "If they want a bailout, let the Gov't buy $25 billion worth of cars and then auction them to the public." Not so fast, said cowboygrandpa: "Wait a minute. The government will only get 100 cars at that price. Then they'd auction them off at $15,000.00 to their girlfriends, family, special-interest friends...." Sad but true.

THE AMERICAN DILEMMA

While the election of Barack Obama was greeted rapturously in many quarters, there was also some ugly dissent, as noted in "Obama election spurs race crimes around country." The story rang up 330 comments (the most of any post this week), beginning with this expression of disgust from BronxBomber: "That is so sadly pathetic! Were these miscreants dropped on their heads when they were born?" A suggestion quickly surfaced that all the miscreants were Republicans, and slate argued that this was a dangerous simplification: "None of the Republicans I know voted against [Obama's] skin color.... Now, I have heard some here in Houston say bad things about having a 'black' president, I'd be untruthful to say otherwise, but not any of those people participated in the process." Meanwhile, Leemck02 replied to BronxBomber's original comment, and argued that something more sinister than a delivery-room fumble was behind the phenomenon: "An honest assessment shows racism is economically based. It is cold, calculated and extreme, willing to do whatever is necessary to keep a reality (false as it may be) intact." Added DarkWizard: "The ugly undercurrent of America's subculture is raising its supremacist head.... And as I've stated before, being a backward-ass redneck isn't a geographical location, it's a state of mind. This is not a problem that will 'just go away,' but will have to be addressed head on." A related story, "Threats Against Obama on the Rise," generated 105 props and 221 comments. "It is strange, but probably true," noted Candida, "that Obama would be safer almost anywhere outside the US than within his own country. It's really sad that people can hate that much, and without reason on top of it." Added Sandmonster: "Yes, Obama should watch his six while out and about. Too many nuts roaming around."

BUSH LEAGUE

Lame duck or not, George W. Bush is still the occupant of the White House, and he has yet to vanish completely from the Propeller radar. The satirical "Bush Places Sixth Among All U.S. Presidents" got 119 props. Said ind06: "I rate my presidents by height. Abraham Lincoln, best president ever!" Responded gsmittle: "I rate mine by width--Taft, greatest president ever!" (Added guppythefish: "Yes, even his cereal bowl came with a lifeguard.") As always, Tangent001 had a different, well, tangent: "I rate mine by sideburns. Martin Ban Buren!" Some members, like Nobama_2012, chose to ignore the whimsical nature of the underlying post and fire away at the alphabetically advantaged president: "The guy was never fit for office. No experience, no talent. I don't particularly like Obama's political positions on most things, but at least he seems to be choosing assistants with brains, not internationalist agendas." Said Shana4Liberty: "How is it possible that he makes the top 10 list?" Replied uncle-dave: "Because of the politicization of the alphabet!" A similarly jocular post, "Bush In Race Against Time To Wreck Country," got 134 props and 273 comments. This time around, it was Charlson who had the last word: "It is sad when the best thing you've done in life is fail at whatever you do except succeeding at failure. Ignorance is bliss, and Bush is the most blissful president we've ever had."

AND DON'T OVERLOOK....

Which story got the most traffic over the last week? That would be "Cops find drunk German with record alcohol level," with 54 props, 86 comments, and 34,290 page views. Said texrogers1: "The bright side is he won't have to be embalmed, because he's already pickled." Added nancycmando: "His hangover has got to be painful." (There was also a medical sidebar from drdeweyjnk: "And you wonder why there aren't enough livers for transplants.") Propeller members sounded off about Google, China, and Chuck Hagel. "Russian Village Church 'Vanishes'" rang up 11 props, 66 comments, and 26,856 page views, and a couple of theological wrangles. "Did this Church disappear brick by brick, or did it disappear through mankind's great stupidity?" asked dianeasdf. Replied merlinstabbycat: "The article clearly states that the church was taken away brick by brick.... That deserted, unused church was probably disassembled by some poor people, who used the bricks to build some shack to live in, and that sounds like something Jesus would approve of." And finally, there was "Mayor To Town Folk, Council: You're Too Stupid To Work With," which earned 35 props and 22 comments. Was the mayor of Saint Anthony truly justified in calling his constituents stupid? "It's Idaho," said ameliog. "He may actually have a point." Another member, sobeitangel, had some harsh words for the mayor: "I think any job you get from here on in the United States will start with the mail room." But whether you're siding with the mayor or his former constituents, the town itself got a quasi-endorsement from WillieMojoRisin: "My aunt, uncle, and their three sons lived in Saint Anthony in the Seventies. I remember it had a 7-lane bowling alley." And just think, it takes only one for a gutter ball.